Pain's Bindings
by MAFvet
Summary: An espionage mission goes wrong. Aoshi must break his bonds in order to embrace the light, but can he and Misao manage? AM Rating went up do to my love of action scenes. Chpt 4 up!
1. Misgivings

A/N Hey! This is my first fic, just thought I'd try some creative writing for a break from my usual drum playing. Need to exercise a different muscle of the artsy part of my brain. Besides, I have too many blisters on my left hand already. Please review. I know you hear this a lot, but I am a fairly busy person with my band, and your reviews let me know you want me to keep going. Thank you very much!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own, so you don't sue. Thanks.  
  
Chapter One: Misgivings  
  
He knew he should have never let her come.  
"Oh my.......... spiderspiderspider......" Misao whispered urgently, pointing a slender finger at the hairy intruder.  
Aoshi fixed her with an icy glare that clearly said , "Shutup", before reaching in front of her and squashing the helpless arachnid. It wouldn't do them any good to die because of the irrational fear of spiders Misao possessed.  
".....Thank goodness....." She exhaled quietly before resuming her post, clinging to a cobweb-ridden rafter in the dingy, decrepit factory's ceiling, watching the arms dealers, and their wares, very intently.  
The factory the duo was holed away in was an old, musty, wooden one on the outskirts of Tokyo, in a rough section of the neighborhood. Although built solidly, it had been neglected for years, and avoided by the locals due to their collective knowledge of shady dealings. No one wanted to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The shabby exterior and non- existent windows belied the workings within. Perfect for illegal activities. The cavernous interior also had many shadows tucked away in its corners, which were appealing to the members of the Oniwaban.  
Aoshi still couldn't figure out how he had ended up in this situation. He ALWAYS worked alone. Backup or partners just got in his way. He was always a loner. Yet here he was, hiding in the rafters of a dirty factory ceiling, searching for vantage point as good as the one Misao had secured. Fate just had a sick sense of humor sometimes...  
  
*Flashback*  
It was a lovely spring day in Kyoto. Clear skies, bright sun, and a nice breeze just added to the perfection. The flowers' buds were just starting to open up. The birds were singing, children were laughing, fish were jumping, water was sparkling...  
And Misao had heard talk of a mission.  
"A mission? Arms dealings, you say? Very dangerous? Woo HOO! About time I got some action!" Misao screeched as she hopped down the squeaky clean hallways of the Aoiya, with a flustered Okina hot on her little heels.  
"Wait a second Misao, it's not..."  
"Yay! Mission! Mission! Mission! Oh kunai, where are you?" she cooed as she skipped down the hall.  
"It's only espionage work! And any case, you won't even be..." he trailed off into a wheeze after pursuing Misao through the building.  
"Did you say something, Gramps? Have you seen my kunai? My favorite set? There's no way I could have used THAT many in that last fight..." she continued grumbling to herself, as she rooted through some drawers in her room. "And this way", she continued, "I'll finally be able to prove myself as Okashira of the Oniwaban group!"  
"That's dandy, Misao, but the mission, he doesn't want to take..." he trailed off as Misao bolted out of her room, through her door, and straight into Aoshi!  
BAM!  
The force of their collision sent Aoshi into the opposite wall, with Misao tumbling over him to end up skidding and sprawled on the floor.  
"...you." Okina finished.  
Five seconds of silence passed by, then the Weasel Girl exploded in a rage. "What. Did. You. Just. Say? Oh, no. I AM going. You can't protect me forever. If I can't fend for myself, how am I supposed to fend for the Oniwaban group? The Okashira must take the same risks as her followers. To do less is absolutely wrong." Misao finished icily, leaving little room for argument.  
Shaking off his stupor, and ignoring his bruises, Aoshi picked himself up off of the floor, readjusted his kodachis and trench coat, and waited for Misao to move out of his way. After 30 seconds of the standoff, it became clear to everyone that Misao wasn't going anywhere but with Aoshi. Out the door.  
"Aoshi-sama, I am going with you. Whether you like it or not."  
"No." He stated flatly.  
"Give me fifteen seconds to grab my kunai, and I'm out the door. Even you can't get very far in fifteen seconds. I'll hunt you down and follow you."  
Aoshi considered his situation for a moment. It was a habit of his. When stuck, analyze. He really didn't want her to go with him, but if he knew Misao at all, she was definitely coming. She would just get in the way though, or botch the mission. No, Misao was too capable to do something that stupid. She'd proven that to him by her actions in his absence. She had a very cool head when under pressure. Then what was nagging at him? He was worried. Worried? About what? About..... about.....about her getting hurt. About her welfare. What? Now he was confused. This wasn't the type of worry he displayed about the other members of the Oniwaban. This was a whole different animal. Then what was it? 'Ah damn it', he thought, 'I'm wasting time. I'll save this introspection for another day...'  
While Aoshi was waging his mental battle, Okina was watching him closely. What he saw in the stoic man's eyes was emotion, which was rare enough for Aoshi, but this emotion appeared to be concern. Very interesting...  
"I leave in ten minutes for Tokyo. With or without you." Aoshi stated flatly.  
"Yay! I knew you couldn't resist my charm! Tokyo, here we come! Mission, mission, mission..." She trailed off to gather her kunai and necessary supplies.  
  
*End Flashback*  
"Aoshi-sama, something's happening!" Misao hissed, breaking Aoshi's reverie. He nodded to acknowledge her, and carefully shifted his weight on the factory's rafters to get a better viewpoint. What he saw astounded him. Crates of firearms, cannons, swords, and explosives were being carried out of one of the doors. Money was changing hands. Shouted orders were being carried out all through the factory. The place had suddenly come alive!  
However, in all the hustle and bustle, Aoshi had failed to notice a small man sitting on a crate in a dark corner of the factory. He had shaggy brown hair, like Sano's but tamer, that formed erratic spikes on his head. He had cold, dark blue eyes, which complimented the belt of heavy silver discs he wore around his waist. Two swords were tucked into his belt. Black boots with silver trim, black pants, and a forest green shirt with a high collar completed the picture. This man was Ishtou, skilled hunter, tracker, and shadow assassin. In spite of his cool exterior, he had been scanning the room relentlessly the entire time the operation had been going down. He was going to earn his pay tonight. And he was going to start by flushing out some spies.  
Hopping off of his perch, he swaggered over to his greasy employer, Naku. "Sir, I believe we have some nosey rats in our rafters."  
The greasy crime lord didn't like this one bit. His Western-style black suit bunched as he tensed in irritation. He ran a beefy hand through his thinning, slimy hair, and sighed audibly. "Oh yeah?" He drawled, trying to be casual. He really didn't trust Ishtou. Smart man. "How do you want to handle it?"  
"Hm, let's see..." Ishtou considered a moment, while playing with his belt. "Let's surprise them..." With that, he unclipped two of his signature discs, checked to see that they were of the blunted variety, and hurled the pair at the rafters. He would save his killing discs for later.  
  
All done! I have all kinds of plans, bwahaha... This is fun. Don't know how long this story will go. As long as I want to, because I'm in control! Feel the power! Ok, I'm done. Please review. It will make me a very happy person! Thanks much! 


	2. Surprise

A/N: Back! I had to practice for a show this Friday, so I've been a little busy. Marching Band can be such a pain sometimes...  
  
Chapter Two: Surprise  
  
"Aoshi-sama, what is that..." Misao couldn't finish her sentence, because she was struck in the ribs with a dull silver disc with such force that she was knocked from her perch. Aoshi had barely enough time to register what had just happened, when he too was smashed in the ribs and thrown from the rafters.  
"Where's Misao?" he thought confusedly before plummeting into a stack of crates, his kodachis in their sheath clattering next to him.  
"Nice aim, Ishtou. But, how did you know they were even up there?" Naku questioned, surveying the crushed crates and dust clouds Misao and Aoshi had created in their separate landings. "That had to hurt.." he quietly mused to himself.  
Ishtou was quick to oblige. "It was quite easy. An old trick I learned for spotting animals in the dark. You look for light flashes off of their eyes. Because we have these flame lanterns, the light dances. It can cause strange reflections off of a creature's moist eyes. This way, no amount of camouflage can save them if they are watching you. Since I saw something sparkling in this filthy rat's nest, I assumed it wasn't a fresh trinket, but the rat itself." He started gathering his discs from the debris. "Shadows can't hide rats from me."  
  
"...Shit..." Aoshi tried to sit up, but found a crate on his chest. The pounding in his eardrums wasn't helping very much, either. So he lay there for a moment, gathering his strength and his thoughts. 'Where am I? Tokyo, factory, Naku, disc... What the hell?! How in the world...? Wait, calm down. I'm not captured or dead yet. I think. Damn. Let's review the facts. How many men in the room? About sixty. Crap. Kodachis? I can feel them next to me. Good. Health? Mental, check. Body...' At this, he tried a small flex, and found that he could move fairly easily. He also became aware of the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. 'I'll live. I believe in my current condition, I can fight at seventy percent. Exits? Three. Three large doors. Layout of room? Rectangular. Misao? Shit! Misao...' At this, Aoshi was partially revitalized, pushing himself up out of the debris, gathering his kodachis, and formulating a plan to get himself and Misao out of this hellhole. Alive.  
The sight that greeted him wasn't pretty, though.  
Misao was already up, standing upon a small mountain of crates, shouting curses and threats down to the fifteen well-armed, but confused looking men surrounding her mountain. Some had firearms, others had traditional Japanese swords. They all looked oddly like pit bulls that had treed a cat.  
"You better not come any closer, if you know what's good for you!" Misao screeched, brandishing her trademark kunai. "I'll tear you apart! You'll be sorry you messed with me!" She hopped up and down in a full blown Weasel War Dance, ready to defend her mountain.  
Aoshi was about to slip behind some crate stacks, to ambush the line of men threatening Misao, when he sensed a ki that make him stop dead in his tracks. It was far too strong and...cold, to be mixed in with this lot. That only meant one thing: he and Misao were in serious trouble.  
"Why don't you give up, and come to us quietly? You have no chance of escaping." Naku's sinister, wheezy voice carried through the factory, causing even Misao to stop and listen. "Even if you managed to get through my hand-picked men, my friend here would gut you very quickly." Naku waved to Ishtou, who was leaning on some crates, twirling a disc in his left hand.  
Ishtou smiled, then thought to himself, 'Oh, don't do that. Where's the fun? I want an excuse to draw this out' Ishtou chuckled quietly, and ran his thumb over the edge of one of his killing discs, causing a small rivulet of blood to course along the steel. 'Perfect.'  
As Ishtou was thinking his malicious thoughts, even Misao felt his ki flux a little. It sent shivers crawling up her spine, in spite of the relative warmth in the factory. She took a deep breath, drawing her eyes to his form, and thinking to herself, 'One bad guy...better watch out for him.' Misao involuntarily tightened her grip on her kunai.  
Pressed against a stack of crates, concealing himself from view, Aoshi's agile mind was racing. He had to come up with a plan, before their enemies quit fooling around and decided to come after them in force. He had to get his priorities in order, and then the plan would formulate itself. 1. Get Misao out. She was so outclassed, she wouldn't stand a chance. 2. Get himself out. He could last longer than Misao, but due to his injuries, he would have to choose retreat instead of killing everyone in sight. 3. Cover their trail. No use getting hunted down. 4. Regroup, and go from there. Simple. Right.  
With his outline in place, and trusting in his speed, Aoshi lined up a path directly to Misao, which happened to go through four goons. Perfect. With a rush of wind, he charged.  
  
*End Chapter Two*  
  
Another chapter done! Yay! Two things:  
  
Many thanks to koishii-glory for the review. Someone appreciates my story!  
  
Speaking of reviews, please review. I'm sitting here with wide eyes, waiting for the praises (or flames) that await me. Thanks! 


	3. Tension

A/N: Hey! I'm back with chapter 3! Amazing, since I have to learn 3 cadences, a drum break, and 15 new sets of show! And perform it Friday! Not cool! Plus, I think the people at my job have caught on to me writing after the filing's done. Ah well. Anyways, here's chapter three.  
  
I don't own RK, therefore, please do not sue the penniless drummer. Thanks!  
  
Chapter 3: Tension  
  
The four lackeys didn't even realize what had happened until they fell face-down in pools of their own blood. Aoshi used his untold speed and power to his full advantage, cutting down two more foes before leaping up to Misao's perch on the crates, blood flowing onto the ground in his wake.  
"Aoshi-sama! I'm so glad you're alright! You don't even look hurt! I was so worried! But, that's my Aoshi-sama, no need for me to worry, not at all. Say, what happened to..."  
"Not now, Misao." Aoshi silenced her. Her concern for him was making him feel like he'd been thrown off of a rafter into a furnace. Not at all comfortable. "Worry about the situation, not me." However, Aoshi was mildly concerned for himself at the moment. He shouldn't be breathing this hard; picking off insects like them wasn't THAT strenuous! Maybe he was just getting soft. Or maybe he was more hurt than he initially thought. He stole a glance at Misao. She looked healthy enough, in fact, she was already back to hollering at the remaining nine goons, who were visibly shaken, but nevertheless were already regrouping at the base of their crate mountain.  
"Ishtou, what do we do?" Naku was a little tense, after seeing Aoshi annihilate six of his "handpicked men" in under four seconds. Naku's beefy hands twitched in anxiety.  
Ishtou just leaned against a crate and smiled wolfishly.  
"Ishtou, just what are you thinking?"  
Ishtou closed his eyes for a moment. "I think that's not all this duo has to offer. I can see the hurt in the tall man's eyes, but he still took down six healthy men without a drop of hesitation. I want to see what this guy has to offer." He looked down at his calloused hands, which were curled around one of his discs. "Besides, I haven't even seen the girl fight yet. If she's with him, she must possess some skill. Animals fight harder when cornered. I want to see their talents for myself." He looked around the room, at the other hired help who were reaching for their weapons, watching the two ninjas, and waiting for their chance to strike, much like a pack of wolves surrounding an injured deer. "And besides, dead men don't talk."  
Naku blinked twice, following Ishtou's gaze. It took him a moment to digest what Ishtou had just suggested. "You're saying, if I send my men after these two, solely for your entertainment purposes, I might add, that they're going to kill them all?" By this point, Naku's eyes were bulging out of their sockets.  
"Possibly. Doubtful in their current state, but maybe. What they miss, I can always clean up. I wouldn't want my favorite employer's little operation exposed, would I?" Ishtou whispered his next words, so softly Naku had to lean in to catch them all. "Can't trust anyone these days, can you?" Ishtou eyed the crime boss craftily.  
Naku fidgeted under the predator's gaze. "Um, yeah, uh, whatever you say..." Naku was seriously unnerved by the presence of Ishtou, and therefore gave in easily. However, he still had to look tough for the peons under him. "Men, this is where you earn your pay! Kill them!"  
A general muttering rose over the crowd of churlish men, and then they started to advance on Aoshi and Misao's position.  
A shuffling towards the back of the room caught Aoshi's attention, and he turned his head to face it. He quickly discovered the source. A great group of armed men was heading his and Misao's way! "Misao."  
Misao turned at the mention of her name. In doing so, she saw the shuffling mob. "Ah! Aoshi-sama! There's got to be a thousand of them!" She said, hopping up and down, pointing. "I don't think I have that many kunai!"  
"Calm down. We need to escape from here." Aoshi surveyed the room. His high vantage point was definitely a big help. The doors were all too far away, and behind enemy lines to boot. Crates were stacked everywhere. Those could be useful as cover. The closest exit looked like a hole in the side of the decrepit building, off to his right, by about eighty feet. More like a couple loose boards, but beggars can't be choosers. One thought just kept running through his head, though. It was, "Why haven't they shot us yet? Why go to all of this trouble?" But that was quickly replaced by the angry rumblings of fifty-four men. He was out of time.  
"Misao, listen to me." Misao snapped to attention at the heavy seriousness in his usually somber voice. "To my right, there are some loose boards near the stack of five crates. When I give the word, you run over there, and get yourself out. I'll cover you." He glanced over at the mob, which was right at the base of their mountain. "Go."  
  
All done with chapter three! I have to crank out four, but I don't know how long that's gonna take. I have to make sure my details are all consistent. Oh, disregard any reviews by my sister. No more espresso for her! Thanks to unique-starfish ( I LOVE YOU!) and Anaii for their time (and reviews) Well, wish me luck, and please review! Thanks! MAFvet 


	4. Fear

A/N: Hey! Sorry about the lag between chapters. I had it all written out, but couldn't motivate myself to type it up. My apologies! Oh, Anaii, I love you. You are my driving motivation to get this story done. Thanks for your support! Well, I got nothing else, so here's chapter four!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own RK, so please don't hunt my carcass down and sue me. Thanks!  
  
Chapter Four: Fear  
  
Misao darted off the crates, finding footholds in the stacks with a sureness only a ninja possessed. She hit the dusty floor of the factory with a muffled thud, pausing only for a brief second to get her bearings and locate her target: the stack of five crates and the loose boards.  
Another, louder thud sounded behind her. "Go quickly!" Aoshi was right behind her, urging her on. The mob was so close, he could smell their horrible breath and feel the heat emanating from their bodies. It was time to do a little covering, as promised.  
Hearing Misao scamper away, he turned to face his opponents. Five large, surly laborers were the first to advance on him. A soft "chink" was barely heard as two kodachis were drawn, and then mayhem ensued.  
A wet splashing was heard as the first three men discovered their entrails steaming on the ground. The next two men had their tendons severed, throats slit, and were thrown into a stack of crates, to stay out of the way of the efficient killer.  
The rest of the horde stared in awe and fear as Aoshi came to rest, perched on a nearby crate. His chest swelled as he breathed, causing rivulets of blood to course down his trademark trench coat. A small tensing in his muscled forearms caused his kodachis to vibrate, sending the blood adorning them into the greedy floor. He allowed a small smirk to grace his features. He had them where he wanted them. It showed in his predator's eyes, alight with the flame of bloodlust. With a cold glare, he dove into the hapless pinklings.  
Misao heard screaming behind her. Those were the screams of a man in his death throes. They were quickly followed by more wails, all quickly silenced. It was enough to give a person horrendous nightmares for years to come. And she wasn't even in the hotbed of the action. 'Aoshi-sama told me to go, that he would cover me. He knows what he's doing. Trust him.' Misao pushed on, as fast as her slender legs could carry her. Panting, she had almost made it to the stack of five crates, when she was halted by an enormous wall of unyielding flesh.  
"What the...?" Misao backed up a couple of paces, surveying the leering man in front of her. Just some lowlife that had crawled out of a gutter somewhere. Wonderful. It was a wonder she hadn't smelled him before this.  
"You have five seconds to move, before I go right through you!" All traces of fear and doubt left her face as Weasel Girl gained her composure. She straightened up to her full height, and eyed the ruffian impatiently.  
His response was to laugh in her face.  
'This guy has some nasty teeth.' Misao thought to herself as she reached around behind her for some kunai; never taking her eyes off of her opponent.  
The scumbag drew his weapon, a large, rusty katana, and started lumbering towards Misao, a wild gleam evident in his little piggy eyes. They were soon glazed over, as three kunai pierced his exposed throat. Blood bubbled over the blades as the man crashed to the ground, all life fleeing his body.  
'There's a lot more of these creeps roaming around. I'll be needing these back.' Misao stooped, pulling the kunai free from their warm home, causing a fresh spurt of blood to spray out onto the floor. 'Always good to have extra kunai. Aha! There are the crates Aoshi-sama was talking about. Those boards must be close.' She started towards her destination, a cacophony of wails and screams covering her footfalls.  
Ching!  
The sound of swords crossing could be heard throughout the factory. Blood spattered the sides of crates, leaving glistening trails as it snaked its way into the ground. Aoshi fought like a man possessed. His ice blue eyes were alight with bloodlust, fueled by the carnage surrounding him. His enemies' screams did nothing but to spur him on. The humming of his kodachis in the air was like a heavenly music to his ears. This was what he had been created to do. To kill, maim, and destroy his enemies. Annihilate the threat, down to the last drop of hostile blood, and wallow in it.  
A gurgling scream rent the air as a kodachi found its home in a man's jugular, followed by a howling as an arm was severed on another target. A well-placed kick snapped a man's neck, while a powerful offensive swordsman's spirit caused potential targets to flee for their lives. The collective moans, screams, and wails made the factory seem like the staging ground for the opera of the damned.  
After a time, the wails and screams quieted, and eventually died out as the last of the cannon fodder fled or died. An eerie silence settled over the factory, punctuated only by the dripping of blood off crates and walls. The only people remaining were Misao, a frightening Aoshi, a panicking Naku, and Ishtou.  
Ishtou turned, surveying Aoshi's handiwork. Eyes closed, he sniffed the air appreciatively, scenting blood and death. "Mm, very impressive." He quickly snapped open his dark blue eyes, and settled his gaze on Aoshi, who was in the center of the cavernous room. "You, sir, have made my day." A cruel smile appeared on his face as he continued to stare at Aoshi.  
Aoshi, not uttering a word, turned to face Ishtou. A good forty feet separated the two, but that did not diminish their intensity. The two warriors bored into each other's eyes, testing, planning.  
"What is that?" Misao abandoned her post at the loose boards. She had managed to get a few free using her kunai as levers, and now had a decent-sized hole. The sudden flux in energy in the room had caused her to stop. Her flesh was crawling, and the hairs on the nape of her neck were at full attention. She quickly registered the silence, and arrived at a conclusion. 'Oh no... those two energies... he can't...' she quickly turned and set back to work on her escape route, trying to make it fully functional.  
"Ishtou, what are you doing?" Naku's eyes darted to and fro. His skin had taken on a sickly shade of green. Gore apparently didn't sit well with him, especially when it was splashed upon his merchandise. He glanced over at the ruined corpses of ten of his henchmen. Their lifeless eyes stared back at him. That turned out to be the straw that broke the camel's back. "Urgh..." a chunky splash was heard as Naku lost his dinner all over the blood-soaked floor. Not even his vile retchings could cause Aoshi and Ishtou to break their gazes.  
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Naku turned to Ishtou, and started murmuring to him. "Ishtou, just kill the guy already. He's costed me enough money." Silence. "What is the matter with you? Screams make you deaf? Can't you hear me?" No response. That's when it hit him. 'This guy's nuts. He just stands there, smiling, like he's at a picnic. There's no telling what he's going to do. I better save my bacon while I can, and let these two demons kill each other.' He started creeping, very slowly, towards the door.  
"Leaving so soon, are you? You're going to miss the best part," Ishtou cooed. "Besides, you might come in handy yet. You can always spread reports of my prowess later, but right now, I might need some of your resources." He spoke clearly, without breaking his gaze on Aoshi. "Transportation, my friend, would be wonderful. So why don't you scuttle, and find us some? Oh, and if you don't return in thirty minutes, I'll hunt you down, rip out your liver, and eat it. Understand?" There was a merry little twinkle in his eyes as he continued to stare at the ninja in front of him.  
"I.....I...... understand. Now, if you'll excuse me," Naku tripped over his own feet, and stumbled into the inky night, in search of his contacts to arrange a carriage.  
Ishtou smiled at the man's haste. He cracked his knuckles, and leered down at Aoshi. It was his turn now.  
  
Yay! Finally finished with four! This was a doozie! And once again, I apologize for the delay. But, five looks like it might take me awhile, since I have to think up exactly what's going to happen! And I want it to be good! So, give me some time, and it'll be worth the wait. Thanks for reading, and pretty please review!  
  
MAFvet 


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